A family devastated by tragedy is hoping the anniversary of their son’s death will bring about sweeping changes in healthcare. 

On January 3, 2002, Levon Morland, died in his sleep aged only 22.  The West Rainton man was a victim of a rare heart condition called Wolfe Parkinson White Syndrome. 

Levon started to suffer from shortness of breath when he was 12 and was later diagnosed with the disease, which gave him an occasional heart flutter.  Doctors said he would be able to live reasonably freely despite the condition, but he later died in his sleep. 

Since then, his father Jeff has been a tireless campaigner for better screening of heart conditions like the one that claimed his son.  He has also been busy raising funds for the Levon Morland Memorial Fund for CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young), raising more than £40,000 in 20 months.  Now he is preparing to add another £30,000 to that total after a year of spectacular success. 

Mr Morland, 51, who is a trade union official and Northern Labour Party chairman, said: “A firm of solicitors in Newcastle, Browell Smith and Co, helped us raise £21,000 from an event at St James’s Park and we’ve also managed to raise almost £10,000 ourselves.” 

But it is in Parliament that Mr Morland is hoping for his biggest success in 2005.  Former Sunderland councillor and Stockton South MP Dari Taylor won the right to put forward a Private Members’ Bill to push for better screening of heart conditions on the NHS.  But she withdrew it after promises from Health Minister Melanie Johnson that she would form a new expert board to look at the issue of sudden cardiac deaths among the young. 

Mr Morland said: “We now have more than 50 MP’s signed up as members of our all-party Parliamentary group. 

“As a result the Government has agreed to set up a special advisory group of experts which will include people from various bodies including CRY. 

“I think they’re going to report next month and a full report will go to Government in March. 

“I’m hoping there’ll be a lot more awareness about conditions like this which are killing young people and a lot more done to screen at-risk groups. 

“We’re a step nearer to that now.”